Shinji Ikari: All my teachers told was that it was important to the future of mankind.

Shinji Ikari: NERV, my father's agency. Am I going to be working for him? Uh, what am I saying? He wouldn’t have sent me a letter unless he needed me for something.

Misato Katsuragi: Hmm, sounds like you don’t get along with your dad. Uh, you sound just like me.

Shinji Ikari: Ohhh! Awesome! It’s a real Geofront!

Misato Katsuragi: That’s right! This is our secret underground base, NERV central. This city is the key to rebuilding our world. A fortress for all mankind!

Ritsuko Akagi: So is this the boy?

Misato Katsuragi: Right, according to the Marduk report He’s the Third Child.

Ritsuko Akagi: Hmm, pleased to meet you.

Shinji Ikari: Uh, sure

Misato Katsuragi: I’m afraid that’s he’s just like his father. The gruff and unfriendly part that is.

Shinji Ikari: It’s a face! I giant robot!

Ritsuko Akagi: You won't find this in there.

Shinji Ikari: What?

Ritsuko Akagi: This is man's ultimate fighting machine the synthetic life form know as Evangelion, Unit 1. Built here in secret, it is mankind’s last hope.

Shinji Ikari: Is this my father's work?

Gendo Ikari: Correct. It’s been a while.

Shinji Ikari: Father…

Gendo Ikari: We’re moving out.

Misato Katsuragi: Moving out!? But Unit 0 is still in cryostasis! Huuuu! Wait a minute! You’re going to use Unit 1!?

Ritsuko Akagi: There’s no other way.

Misato Katsuragi: No wait. Rei can’t do it yet can she? We don’t have a pilot!

Ritsuko Akagi: We just received one.

Misato Katsuragi: You’re serious?

Ritsuko Akagi: Shinji Ikari, you will pilot it.

Misato Katsuragi: But even Rei Ayanami took 7 months to synchronize with her Eva. It’s impossible for him to do it! He just got here!

Ritsuko Akagi: He just has to sit in the seat. We don’t expect more than that.

Misato Katsuragi: B…. but.

Ritsuko Akagi: Listen, defeating that Angel is our ultimate priority, if we have someone that has a chance of synchronizing with an Eva then we’ve got to risk it. You do understand that, don’t you Captain Katsuragi?

Misato Katsuragi: Yes ma'am.

Shinji Ikari: Why did you send for me?

Gendo Ikari: You know why I sent for you.

Shinji Ikari: So you’re asking me to take this thing and go out there and fight?!

Gendo Ikari: Correct.

Shinji Ikari: How could you do this to me!? I thought you didn’t want me! Why! Why did you have to call me now father?!

Gendo Ikari: Because I have a use for you.

Shinji Ikari: But why? Why me?

Gendo Ikari: Because there is no one else who can.

Shinji Ikari: No I can’t! I’ve never even seen anything like this before! There’s no way I can do this!

Gendo Ikari: You will be instructed.

Shinji Ikari: But still! There’s no way! I can’t pilot that thing!

Gendo Ikari: If you’re going to do it, do it now! If not then leave!

Ritsuko Akagi: Shinji we don’t have much time!

Misato Katsuragi: Get inside.

Shinji Ikari: This is all wrong. I came all this way! Uh why did I come!?

Misato Katsuragi: Why Shinji? Exactly why did you come here? You mustn’t run away, you must confront your father, and you must confront yourself!

Shinji Ikari: I know that! But… I just…. Can’t!

Shinji Ikari: I knew it! I’m not needed after all.

Shinji Ikari: I mustn't run away, I mustn't run away, I mustn't run away, I mustn't run away, I mustn't run away!

Misato Katsuragi: Him? Oh, Shinji. Well, it’s been two weeks since he started and he doesn’t seemed to have changed. No one ever calls him.

Ritsuko Akagi: Calls him where?

Misato Katsuragi: Well, since I figured he’d be needing one I gave him a cellular phone. I don’t think he’s ever used it though… or received any calls. I’m not sure but I don’t think he has any friends.

Ritsuko Akagi: Well I would guess that Shinji isn’t exactly the sort of person who makes friends easily.

Misato Katsuragi: Mmmhhmmm.

Ritsuko Akagi: Do you know the fable “The Hedgehog’s Dilemma?”

Misato Katsuragi: Hedgehog? You mean those animals with the spiny hair?

Ritsuko Akagi: Even though a hedgehog may want to become close with another hedgehog. The closer they get the more they injure each other with their spines.

Misato Katsuragi: Hmm.

Ritsuko Akagi: It’s the same with some humans. The reason he seems so withdrawn is because he’s afraid of being hurt.

Misato Katsuragi: Well, he’s… just… going to have to learn… someday…. That part of growing up means finding a way to interact with others while distancing pain.

Toji Suzuhara: Sorry newcomer, but I had to clobber you. I had to pop you one to work off my own anger.

Kensuke Aida: He’s mean huh? His little sister was injured the last time you and your robot fought a battle. Well that’s his excuse anyway.

Shinji Ikari: I didn’t have a choice! They made me pilot the stupid thing!

Shinji Ikari: Why am I piloting this thing again? Even though my fathers not here. Even though I was beaten.

Kensuke Aida: Geez! Being beaten up must have really messed him up.

Toji Suzuhara: Oh shut up!

Shinji Ikari: I mustn’t run away! I mustn’t run away! I mustn’t run away!

Misato Katsuragi: Hey! Are you even listening to anything I’m even saying?!

Shinji Ikari: Yes.

Misato Katsuragi: Oh no you don’t! You’re not gunna get out of this by just saying “yes” to everything I say!

Shinji Ikari: I know Mrs. Misato. We won didn’t we? Isn’t that enough?

Misato Katsuragi: Urgh! You know it may seem easy going along with whatever anyone else wants, but if you get into an Eva with that attitude it’ll kill you!

Shinji Ikari: You know I just don’t care anymore.

Misato Katsuragi: It’d be nice if I could say you’ve got the right attitude. But if you think you’re going to get any praise out of me, you’re wrong Shinji!

Shinji Ikari: Ugh, that’s not the point. Anyway I’m the only one who could pilot it. I’ll just have to do.

Misato Katsuragi: If getting into the Eva means nothing but pain to him, I don’t think he should pilot again. Uhg, otherwise he’ll be killed.

Kensuke Aida: Toji was real sorry about everything. His kid sister really tore him a new one. She said it was the robot that saved her life. That must be pretty embarrassing, getting yourself chewed out by a second grader. Right?

Kensuke Aida: I really envy you. I mean you live with such a beautiful woman and you get to pilot the Evangelion. Oh man! I wish I could get inside that lovely cockpit just once!

Shinji Ikari: You really shouldn’t you know? Your mother would probably be worried.

Kensuke Aida: Huh? Oh, don’t worry about my mother. I don’t have one of those.

Shinji Ikari: Oh.

Kensuke Aida: I’m no different from you.

Kensuke Aida: Only an idiot fights when he knows he can’t win. Balls have nothing to do with it.

Misato Katsuragi: Long time no see

Shinji Ikari: Yeah.

Misato Katsuragi: Do you feel any better after wandering around for 2 days?

Shinji Ikari: I don’t know.

Misato Katsuragi: The Eva is on standby will you pilot it? Or wont you?

Shinji Ikari: You’re not going to scold me for running away? Of course you’re not I’m not relation to you am I? If I say that I won’t pilot Unit 1, what are you going to do?

Misato Katsuragi: I suppose that Rei would do it. You wont pilot it?

Shinji Ikari: It seems a little bit unrealistic for you to force everything on her. Don’t worry I’ll pilot it.

Misato Katsuragi: But you don’t want to do it.

Shinji Ikari: Of course not. It’s not something that comes to me naturally. But Ayanami and you and Mrs. Ritsuko…

Misato Katsuragi: Stop that line of crap! This has nothing to do with any of us! If you don’t like it get out of here! Just forget all about Eva and us and go back where you came from! We don’t need someone with that attitude piloting! Ugh!

Kensuke Aida: He’s a pretty embarrassing guy isn’t he? But if it’ll put an end to this dispute why don’t you go ahead and hit um!?

Shinji Ikari: But I…

Toji Suzuhara: Hurry up! You don’t have much time do you!?

Shinji Ikari: Okay… but only once.

Toji Suzuhara: Right! Come on! …. Hey wait! Don’t hold back.

Toji Suzuhara: Of course if you’re leaving, we’ll have to leave this city sometime soon. But we can’t really blame you for that. I mean… We saw how much you suffered in the Eva. And anyway… if anyone does try to blame you… I’m gunna give um a wop on the head!

Shinji Ikari: I’m the one who deserved to be hit! Not you! I’m a coward! I’m dishonest! I’m sneaky! And a wimp!

Misato Katsuragi: The hedgehog’s dilemma, the closer we become the more deeply we hurt. Now I understand. I finally understand he can’t let others know how he feels in any other way.

Ritsuko Akagi: Rei Ayanami, Age 14. The first of the test subject’s chosen is accordance with the Marduk Report, the First Child. Designated Pilot for the Evangelion Unit 0. Her past has been eradicated. All of her personal records have been erased.

Misato Katsuragi: It can’t be.

Ritsuko Akagi: Yes. Although composed of a different form of matter their actual composition in terms in terms of the arrangement and coordinates of the pattern is a 99.89% match to ours.

Misato Katsuragi: Nothing draws attention like evasive action.

Toji Suzuhara: Hey, big shot! What are you staring at so intently?"

Shinji Ikari: Um, nothing!

Kensuke Aida: He's ogling Rei!

Shinji Ikari: I… I… I am not!

Kensuke Aida: Ah, come on! We saw you looking!

Toji Suzuhara: Yeah, at Rei's mammaries! Rei's silky thighs!

Kensuke Aida: Yeah!

Toji Suzuhara: Her calves! Her...

Kensuke Aida and Toji Suzuhara: (in unison)...naughty bits!

Shinji Ikari: Uh, look it’s nothing like that!

Kensuke Aida: Then just what were you looking at?

Toji Suzuhara: Can’t fool us Shinji.

Shinji Ikari: I was just wondering why she’s always alone.

Toji Suzuhara: Huh? Uh, come to think of it she hasn’t had any friends since she started here in the 7th Grade.

Kensuke Aida: There’s just something about her that makes her hard to talk to. Like she’s in her own world.

Toji Suzuhara: She’s probably just got a lousy personality.

Kensuke Aida: You two are both Eva pilots right? You ought of know her better than any of us Shinji. You know what I mean?

Toji Suzuhara: Yeah. That’s right.

Shinji Ikari: I suppose, but we don’t talk.

Misato Katsuragi: Never underestimate the ability of the human animal to adapt to it’s environment.

Shinji Ikari: I just find it strange I know so little about her even though were both Eva pilots.

Ritsuko Akagi: She’s a nice girl. But she’s like your father, she’s not very adept at…

Shinji Ikari: She’s not very adept at what?

Ritsuko Akagi: Living I guess.

Shinji Ikari: Aren’t you going to have a reactivation test today? Aren’t you scared Rei? Aren’t you afraid of piloting Unit 0?

Rei Ayanami : Why?

Shinji Ikari: Well, I heard you were hurt pretty bad in an earlier experiment so… I thought… you might be…

Shinji Ikari: Ayanami! Are you all right? Ayanami! …Don’t ever say that! Just don’t say that you have nothing else! Just don’t say that! And don’t say goodbye when you leave for a mission, it’s just too sad. [sobs quietly]

Rei Ayanami : Why are you crying? I’m very sorry I don’t know what I should do or feel at a time like this.

Rei gives a poem-like monologue in this episode. It is not necessarily an actual poem, and may simply be Rei's comments on random images that Unit 01 is showing her.

"Mountain. Heavy are the mountains, something that changes through the ages. Sky. Blue sky. Something visible, something invisible. Sun. Something unique. Water. Something agreeable. Commander Ikari. Flowers. Many of them alike, many of them useless. Sky. Red, red sky. Red color. Red color that I hate. Water flow. Blood. The smell of blood. A woman that does not bleed. Made from the red soil are humans. Made by Man and Woman are humans. Town. Something that humans made. Eva. Something that humans made. Humans are what? Something that God made. Humans are things which humans made. The things I possess are my life and mind. The vessel of a mind. Entry plug, the throne of a soul.

Who is this? This is me. Who am I? What am I? What am I? What am I? What am I?

I am myself. This object is me, the figure which forms me. This is the me that is visible, though it feels as if this is not me. A strange feeling. My body seems as if it is melting. I cannot see myself. My figure is fading away. I am aware of someone else.

Who is there before me? Ikari-kun. I know this person. Major Katsuragi. Dr. Akagi. People, my classmates. The pilot of Unit Two. Commander Ikari. Who are you? Who are you? Who are you?"

Those women longed for the touch of others' lips, and thus invited their kisses. [1.15][edit]

Asuka: I won't take a bath in the same water that Misato and stupid Shinji have used... And I won't use a washer that Misato and Shinji the dork have used, for washing underwear... And I don't want to use a toilet that's been used, not by the two of them... I don't even want to breathe the same air they do, not the two of them. I hate Misato, and I hate Shinji, and I hate that First Child bitch Rei! I hate my dad, I hate my mom! But mostly, most of all, I hate myself! I hate this! I can't stand it anymore! Why do I have to do this! Why me?!

[As Asuka is being mentally tortured by Arael]:

[Voice-over overlaying repeated footage of a door opening, followed by the German words for phrases such as "insanity", "strangled", "No!", "death", "suicide", "hatred", and "shame"]

[The Angel Armisael is merging with Unit 00 while Rei is synchronized with it, and telepathically makes contact with Rei's mind, appearing as an image of Rei]

Rei: Who is this? You? Myself and an EVA. No, I sense somebody other than myself. Who are you? An Angel? Are you one of the beings we call the Angels?

Armisael: Don't you want to become one with me?

Rei: No. I am me. Not you.

Armisael: Hmm, but you shall. It's too late. I will share part of my mind with you. Let me share with you these emotions. This is pain. Do you feel this pain?

Rei: This pain? No, it's different. Loneliness. Yes. Loneliness.

Armisael: Loneliness? I don't understand.

Rei: You don't want to be by yourself, correct? We are many but you are alone. You hate it don't you?

Armisael: That is what it is to be lonely? That is what your mind is. It is what fills your soul. You are that sorrow.

The Beginning and the End, or "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" [1.24][edit]

Kaworu Nagisa: Songs are good. Singing brings us joy. It is the highest point in the culture that Lilims have created.

Kaworu Nagisa: Hello, you weren't waiting here for me were you?

Shinji Ikari: No, Uh-well, not really waiting anyway.

Kaworu Nagisa: So what are you doing for the rest of the day?

Shinji Ikari: Well, usually when tests are over I'll just take a shower and go home. But I really don't want to go home these days.

Kaworu Nagisa: The fact that you have a place where you can return, home, will lead you to happiness.That is a good fact.

Shinji Ikari: You think so?

Kaworu Nagisa: I want to talk to you some more. May I come with you? To the shower I mean. Aren’t you going to the shower?

Shinji Ikari: Yeah.

Kaworu Nagisa: Or do you mean no?

Shinji Ikari: No, I don’t mean no…

Kaworu Nagisa: You are extremely afraid of any kind of initial contact aren’t you? Are you that afraid of other people? I know that by keeping others at a distance you avoid a betrayal of your trust, for while you may not be hurt that way, you mustn’t forget that you must endure the loneliness. Man cannot erase this sadness, because all men are fundamentally alone.

Shinji Ikari: It’s time,

Kaworu Nagisa: Time to go?

Shinji Ikari: Yeah. I have to go to bed.

Kaworu Nagisa: With me?

Shinji Ikari: Uh-no! I think you have your own room that they gave you I mean!

Kaworu Nagisa: Okay. You know pain is something man must endure in his heart, and since the heart feels pain so easily some believe life is pain. You are delicate like glass, especially your heart.

Shinji Ikari: I am?

Kaworu Nagisa: Yes, and worth earning my empathy.

Shinji Ikari: Empathy?

Kaworu Nagisa: I'm saying I love you.

Seele: The NERV organization was established to execute the wishes of Seele.

Seele: It was intended to enact the scenario we had created.

Seele: However, it appears to have become dominated by single cellued individuals.

Seele: Yes, it has. We must take it back into our own dominion.

Seele: It is time.

Seele: We must restore NERV and the Eva series to their proper roles. Ikari! You will take responsibility for betraying Seele.

Gendo Ikari: I’m afraid there’s not much time left for accomplishing our goal, however. The Lance Of Longinus, which would have impeded the realization of our plan, is now gone forever. The last angel shall soon appear and with its destruction our wishes may be born. Soon, Yui; please have patience.

Rei Ayanami: Why am I here? Why am I still alive? For what purpose? For whose purpose? The Fifth Child? Why? In what way are he and I alike?

Kaworu Nagisa: What did you want to say to me?

Shinji Ikari: Wha… What?

Kaworu Nagisa: You wanted to tell me something didn’t you?

Shinji Ikari: So much has happened since I came here. Before this I lived with my teacher. It was calm and boring in those days. I wasn’t really doing anything, but I was fine with that. There was really nothing I had to do.

Kaworu Nagisa: Did you hate dealing with people?

Shinji Ikari: More or less. But I didn’t really care as much, however I really hated my father. [Says to himself] Why am I telling all this to Kaworu?

Kaworu Nagisa: I think I may have been born just to meet you, Shinji Ikari.

Kaworu Nagisa: Humans cannot create from nothingness. Humans cannot accomplish anything without holding on to something. Humans are not gods.

Seele: But there is one man trying to obtain the power of god.

Seele: There is a man, who is not one of us, who seeks to re-open Pandora's Box.

Seele: There is a man attempting to close the box before the hope at the bottom appears.

Kaworu Nagisa: The hope? You’re saying this is the Lilim's hope?

Seele: Hope exists in as many forms as there are people.

Seele: For the human heart is the only place where hope exists.

Seele: However our hope is becoming substantiated.

Seele: That is Lilith the progenitor of mankind. The false successors from the black moon.

Seele: And also Adam, progenitor of the angels, who are the true successors of the lost white moon .

Seele: His salvaged soul exists only within you.

Seele: Yet his resurrected body exists within Ikari.

Kaworu Nagisa: Shinji’s father? So he also is the same as me.

Seele: That is so. And that is why we entrust you with our wish.

Kaworu Nagisa: All of this I know. Is that why I am here after all?

Misato Katsuragi: The Fifth Child -- what is he?

Ritsuko Akagi: He is probably the last Angel.

Seele: Humans forget their foolishness and repeat their mistakes.

Seele: If humans do not redeem themselves willingly, they will not change.

Seele: We must not rely on Adam or the Angels.

Seele: We have no choice but to make changes with our own hands. I pray that Unit 01 will accomplish its task.

Shinji Ikari: You betrayed me! You betrayed the trust I placed in you! You betrayed me just like my father did!

Kaworu Nagisa: The Eva series was born from Adam, born from mans antithesis. And yet the Lilim will utilize that which they hate most in order to survive. I do not understand.

Shinji Ikari: Kaworu stop! Why is this happening!?

Kaworu Nagisa: Your Eva’s and I are composed of the same matter. Born from Adam, I can synchronize with it easily as long as there is no dominate soul. Unit 02’s soul is now hiding itself. Thus Eva 02 is mine!

Shinji Ikari: You’ve got your own A.T. Field?!

Kaworu Nagisa: Yes; at least, this is what you Lilim call this thing. This is the light of my soul. A sacred territory in which no one may intrude. Aren’t you Lilim even aware that your A.T. Field is merely that wall that encloses every mind that exists?

Shinji Ikari: I don’t understand what you’re talking about!

Kaworu Nagisa: This is mankind’s fate. The thread of hope is spun with the flax of sorrow.

Kaworu Nagisa: Adam, that from which we came. Must one who was born from Adam return to Adam, even though it would destroy man? But wait… This isn’t… Lilith?! I see! I understand now! The Lilim, Lilith!

[Unit 01 grabs Kaoru]

Kaworu Nagisa: I thank you friend Shinji, I wanted you to stop Unit 2 and take her from me. Otherwise, with her, I might have survived much longer.

Shinji Ikari: Kaworu, but why?

Kaworu Nagisa: It is my destiny to live forever, though my survival will bring destruction to the human race. However, it is possible for me to be killed, and whether I live or die makes no great difference. In truth, death may be the only absolute freedom there is.

Shinji Ikari: What are you? Kaworu, I don't understand. What you are talking about, Kaworu?

Kaworu Nagisa: This is my wish: please, destroy me. Otherwise, you will be destroyed. Only one life-form can be chosen to evade the destruction and seize the future! And yours is not the existence which should die. You need the future; it is what you live for! Thank you Shinji, my life was meaningful because of you.

Shinji Ikari: Kaworu said he loved me. I’ve never heard such kindness before. He was like me. And he was like Ayanami. I liked him, too. Kaworu should have survived. He was much better than I am. Kaworu should have survived, not me! He deserved to live.

Misato Katsuragi: No. The one who deserves to survive is the one who has the will to make it happen. He wished for death. He ignored his will to survive and chose to die for a false hope. Your survival is not a mistake, Shinji.

Misato: If you take that into consideration, then perhaps this world isn't that bad.

Shinji: Still, the reality itself might not be bad, but I could still hate myself.

Hyuga:: But it's your mind which takes reality and separates it into what's bad and hateful.

Aoba: It's only the mind which separates reality from truth.

Maya: Any new position from which you view your reality will change your perception of its nature. It's all literally a matter of perspective.

Kaji: There are as many truths as there are people.

Kensuke: But there is only one truth that is your truth. That's the one that's formed by whatever point of view that you chose to view it from. It's a revised perception that protects you.

Toji: That's true. And one can have a perspective that's far too small.

Hikari: However, a person can only see things from the perspective that they chose to see them from.

Asuka: One must learn to judge things via the perceived truths that one receives from others.

Misato: For example, sunny days make you feel good.

Rei: Rainy days make you feel gloomy.

Asuka: If you are told this is so, then that is what you believe is so.

Ritsuko: But you can have fun on a rainy day as well!

Fuyutsuki: Your truth can be changed simply by the way you accept it. That's how fragile the truth for a human is.

Kaji: A person's truth is so simple, that most ignore it to concentrate on what they think are deeper truths.

Gendo: You, for example, are simply unused to what it is to be liked by others.

Misato: You've never learned how to deal with fearing what others feel about you and so you avoid it.

Shinji: But, don't the others hate me?

Asuka: What are you, stupid? Haven't you realized it's all in your imagination, you megadork!

Shinji: But, I hate myself.

Rei: One who truly hates himself cannot love, he cannot place his trust in another.

Shinji: I'm a coward. I'm cowardly, sneaky and weak.

Misato: No, only if you think you are, but if you know yourself, you can take care of yourself.

Shinji: [introspectively] I hate myself. But, maybe, maybe I could love myself. Maybe, my life can have a greater value. That's right!. I am no more or less than myself. I am me! I want to be myself! I want to continue existing in this world! My life is worth living here!

[Shinji's room cracks open and he finds himself on a small blue globe with the cast of the series]

Russian SEELE member: The fate of destruction is also the joy of rebirth.

Misato: Shinji, listen to me. From now on you’re on your own. You’ll have to make your own decisions; no one can do it for you.

Shinji: I... I can’t. I’m no good. I can’t pilot Eva if all I do is hurt and kill people. I thought I had no choice but to pilot Eva, but I was just lying to myself. I’m not worthy of piloting an Eva because I don’t understand anything! I’m incapable of doing anything good for anybody else. I did something terrible to Asuka. I killed Kaworu. I’m a horrible person. I'm dishonest and a coward. All I ever do is hurt other people, so I’d rather do nothing at all!

Misato: I’m not going to feel sorry for you. If you don’t like feeling pain, then you can just sit here and let them kill you!

[Shinji begins to cry]

Misato: Crying isn’t going to solve anything, either! [pauses] You hate yourself, don’t you? That’s why you hurt others. Deep down you know that you suffer more when you cause someone else pain, than if you just let yourself get hurt. But, Shinji, that was your decision, so that makes it a valid choice. That was what you wanted, so that makes it worthwhile. Stop lying to yourself, and realize that you do have options. Then accept the choices you’ve made.

Shinji: But you're not me. You don’t know what I have to go through. You don’t understand!

Misato: So fucking what if I’m not you?! That doesn’t mean its okay for you to give up! If you do, I’ll never forgive you as long as I live. God knows I’m not perfect either. I’ve made tons of stupid mistakes and later I regretted them. And I’ve done it over and over again, thousands of times. A cycle of hollow joy and vicious self-hatred. But even so, every time I learned something about myself. Please, Shinji. You’ve got to pilot Eva and settle this once and for all. For your own sake. Find out why you came here. Why you exist at all. Answer your own questions. And when you’ve found your answers, come back to me. I’ll be waiting for you. Promise me.

Shinji: Yes.

Misato: See you soon.

[Misato kisses Shinji to try to motivate him out of his near-catatonic depression]

Misato: That was a grown-up kiss. We'll do the rest when you get back. [shoves Shinji into an elevator and collapses in a pool of blood] If I'd known it'd end like this... I would have... changed the carpet like Asuka suggested...Right, Pen Pen?... Kaji, my love... I did do the right thing... didn't I?

[Asuka's Eva is sitting in wait at the bottom of the lake. Asuka is still near-catatonic from her experiences in "Don't be."]

Asuka: [repeatedly] I don't want to die, I don't want to die, I don't want to die... [Asuka's mantra becomes louder until she finally screams it over an image of her rotting corpse]

Ritsuko: I've been waiting for you. I'm sorry, but when I installed the firewall, I changed the MAGI's programming without telling you. A loving daughter's final request; mother, let's end it together. [presses a button, expecting an explosion.] It's not working?! Why?! CASPER betrayed me?! Mother, how could you chose your lover over me?!

Gendo: Ritsuko Akagi, the truth is... [the voice is dubbed out]

Ritsuko: Liar.

[Gendo shoots her]

Gendo's line in this scene is highly debated. Anno wanted the line muted at first with an explosion, but he still wanted the line cut. When the scene was being recorded, Anno gave Ritsuko's voice actress Yuriko Yamaguchi a hint as to what Gendo was telling her. To this day, only Anno and Yamaguchi know the hint. The line is probably "I needed you", as when the Rei clones take away Hyuga, Ibuki, Fuyutsuki and Aoba, they appear as the person the victim trusted the most, and then kill the victim in a similar manner to the apparition's death. When Ritsuko takes away Ibuki (who was in love with her), Ibuki's computer reads "I NEED YOU". However, the line must be in the past tense, as Gendo cannot need Ritsuko if he is shooting her. Ritsuko calls him a liar because Gendo handed her over to SEELE previously in the series; when Ritsuko seems stunned and then becomes more composed, she is remembering Gendo's betrayal.

Shinji: Nobody understands me.

Rei: You never understood anything.

Shinji: I thought this was supposed to be a world without pain, and without uncertainty.

Rei: That's because you thought that everyone else felt the same as you do.

Shinji: You betrayed me! You betrayed my feelings!

Rei: You misunderstood from the very beginning. You just believed what you wanted to believe.

Shinji: Nobody wants me, so they can all just die.

Rei: Then what is your hand for?

Shinji: Nobody cares whether or not I exist. Nothing ever changes, so they can all just die.

Rei: Then tell me, what is your heart for?

Shinji: It would be better if I never existed. I should just die, too.

Rei: Then why are you here?

[Flashback image of Shinji as a child, abandoned and crying]

Shinji: I-is it okay for me to be here?

[White text on black: "Silence". Shinji screams]

Gendo: I've waited so long for this moment to arrive. I will finally be with you again, Yui. When Shinji is near me, all I ever do is cause him pain. I thought it was better when I did nothing at all.

Yui: Were you afraid of Shinji?

Gendo: I didn't believe that anyone could love me. I never deserved to be loved.

Kaworu: So, you were running away. And you rejected the others around you, so there was no chance that you would ever be hurt.

Yui: And you were terrified by the invisible bonds that people form.

Rei: You were afraid and so you closed off your heart.

[Gendo is being held by Eva Unit-1]

Gendo: And so, this is my retribution. Forgive me, Shinji.

[Unit-1 bites Gendo in half]

[Shinji is inside of Lilith and is experiencing a mental journey]

Voices: Don’t call me anymore. I hate you. God, you’re persistent. I wouldn’t be caught dead with you. You’re bothering me. There’s no way we can start over again, you jerk! Goodbye. I wish you’d think. Are you being serious? I have no interest in getting back together with you. Look at you. Let’s just be friends. This all was just a cheap thing. Do I even know you? You’re getting me nervous. Why don’t you do the world a favor and just die? Who the hell are you? I don’t love you that way. Who the hell are you? I couldn’t care less whether you lived or died. I don’t want you in my life. None of your business. To be honest, you get on my nerves. I don’t need you anymore. Stop following me around! I can’t do this anymore. Don’t get me wrong. Why won’t you take “no” for an answer? Who would want to go out with you? You’re bothering me. Let’s break up! Go away. Please stop. I don’t need you. Are you still here? I never did. I can’t stand the sight of you. Why won’t you leave? Let’s just be friends. I thought I asked you to leave. You don’t own me. Get out. Grow up, would you?! I don’t want you around anymore, you wimp!

Misato: If it’s too painful, you can always make it stop.

Rei: If you don’t like it, you can just run away.

Voice: Do you want to be at ease? Do you want to feel peace of mind? Do you want to become one with me? To have our bodies and souls join as one?

Other voice: I’d rather die than do it with you!

Shinji: Hey.

Rei: What is it?

Shinji: What are dreams?

Asuka: Dreams?

Rei: Yes, dreams.

[A shot of people in a movie theatre. After a few seconds, a white text, reading "Does it feel good?", appears. Afterwards, a shot of the three voice actresses for Rei, Asuka, and Misato (from left to right, respectively: Megumi Hayashibara, Yuko Miyamura, and Kotono Mitsuishi) is shown]

Shinji: I don't understand. I don't understand what reality is.

Rei: You can't bridge the gap between your own truth and the reality of others.

Shinji: I don't know where to find happiness.

Rei: So you only find happiness in your dreams.

Shinji: Then... this is not reality? This world where no one exists?

Rei: No. It is only a dream.

Shinji: Then I don't exist here either.

Rei: This convenient fabrication is your attempt to change reality.

Shinji: Is that wrong?

Rei: You were using fantasy to escape reality.

Shinji: Why can't I dream that I'm alone?

Rei: That is not a dream. That is a substitute for reality.

[Another shot of the theatre. A few seconds later, the scene dissolves into a shot of the same theatre, now empty]

Shinji: So where is my dream?

Rei: It is a continuation of reality.

Shinji: But where is my reality.

Rei: It is at the end of your dream.

Yui Ikari: Anywhere can be paradise as long as you have the will to live. After all, you are alive, so you will always have the chance to be happy. As long as the Sun, the Moon, and the Earth exist, everything will be all right.

Kouzou Fuyutsuki: When Man created Evangelion, were we trying to create a clone of God?

Yui Ikari: Of course. Humans can only exist on this Earth. But the Evangelion will be able to exist forever, along with the human soul that dwells within it. When the Earth, the Moon and the Sun are all gone, EVA will exist, so long as one person remains. It'll be lonely, but as long as one person still lives...

Last line of the movie. Could be translated as "I don't feel well," "I feel sick," "This sucks," "what a disgusting feeling," "I feel bad," etc. This line could have several different implications depending on context, so the proper translation is debated; no interpretation has been offered by Gainax. Even the identity of the speaker is often disputed, with many fans claiming she is an amalgam of Asuka, Rei and Misato, rather than simply Asuka. One of the last lines that were originally suggested was — in Japanese — "No way I'll let you kill me!", but Anno wanted to find a better one. "Kimochi warui" was eventually chosen by Asuka's seiyuuYuko Miyamura after Anno asked her what she would say if she found out a stranger had masturbated to her sleeping body. The official English version renders the line as "How disgusting".

Evangelion is my life and I have put everything I know into this work. This is my entire life. My life itself.

Hideaki Anno, 11/96 Newtype in Protoculture Addicts #43

Evangelion is like a puzzle, you know. Any person can see it and give his/her own answer. In other words, we're offering viewers to think by themselves, so that each person can imagine his/her own world. We will never offer the answers, even in the theatrical version. As for many Evangelion viewers, they may expect us to provide the 'all-about Eva' manuals, but there is no such thing. Don't expect to get answers by someone. Don't expect to be catered to all the time. We all have to find our own answers.

Hideaki Anno, 11/96 Newtype in Protoculture Addicts #43

Rei is someone who is aware of the fact that even if she dies, there’ll be another to replace her, so she doesn’t value her life very highly. Her presence, her existence—ostensible existence—is ephemeral. She’s a very sad girl. She only has the barest minimum of what she needs to have. She’s damaged in some way; she hurts herself. She doesn’t need friends.

I don’t see any adults here in Japan. The fact that you see salarymen reading manga and pornography on the trains and being unafraid, unashamed or anything, is something you wouldn’t have seen 30 years ago, with people who grew up under a different system of government. They would have been far too embarrassed to open a book of cartoons or dirty pictures on a train. But that’s what we have now in Japan. We are a country of children.

Hideaki Anno: "Let's Die Together", Atlantic Magazine, May 2007

Anno's project is a postmodernist retelling of the Genesis myth, as his series title implies—Neon Genesis Evangelion. It is a new myth of origin, complete with its own deluge, Armageddon, apocalypse and transcendence.

I didn't mind it. The schedule was an utter disaster and the number of cels plummeted, so there were some places where unfortunately the quality suffered. However, the tension of the staff as we all became more desperate and frenzied certainly showed up in the film ... About the time that the production system was completely falling apart, there were some opinions to the effect that, "If we can't do satisfactory work, then what's the point of continuing?" However, I didn't feel that way. My opinion was, "Why don't we show them the entire process including our breakdown.

"Oh this is... this is nice, this is the end, okay. Where exactly am I? Oh grea… here's the song, oh good. Um, there's some things that are still unresolved here, guys! How do I get home? What do I eat? Was Rei my-my mom? Or a clone? Or, hell, was this all in my mind? Wha-what's an EVA? Is that sort of a Freudian thing? Er… um Am I real? Oh, hell, does a bus run through here? I mean, I'd like to go home now but um… Oh God… Where's home? Okay, okay, okay. I mustn't run away, I mustn't run... Okay I got that, good, okay. Now, if I were to run away, let's analyze that: Where the fuck would I go? I'm on a big blue ball! Uhh, is this how you end the series? I mean, is this where we go from here? Okay, the movie better sure as Hell make up for this, I'm telling you right now, 'cause I'm stuck in Nowhereland! You ran outta ink too, didn't you, ya bastards?"

Spike Spencer as Shinji, in a parody commentary track on the final Neon Genesis Evangelion DVD.